


Martyr

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Red Hood!Dick AU [17]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-08 04:18:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4290564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything hurt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Martyr

**Author's Note:**

> HELLA short. Like, embarrassingly so. Dick would be a small, wee lad here. Probably only worked with Bruce for a few months. A year to 18-months maximum.

Everything hurt.

The blood was sticky, the air was cold, the floor was smooth and that stupid laugh was really _freaking_ annoying.

He tried to stay still, tried to remember everything Bruce taught him about controlling his heart rate. He ground his teeth in frustration. Bruce hadn’t told him that long ago! Why couldn’t he remember?

The Joker began talking, and Dick tried to ignore him, tried to ignore the despair taking hold of his heart.

It’d been a ruse. A prank. His parents weren’t alive, they weren’t in hiding. The woman who led him here was an actress, and a damn good one. She was dead already, though. And her last second heroics to save Dick had been for naught.

But…Bruce…

The woman may have failed, Dick may have failed himself, but Bruce wouldn’t. Bruce never failed _anybody_. Dick was sure of that.

Despite the pain, despite the _hurt everywhere_ , Dick smiled. Bruce would show. Joker would get the tar beat out of him. Dick would get a lecture, but only after he was patched up. Probably wrapped up in a warm blanket, too. Only after he was safe, at the manor. At _home_.

The Joker said something, but Dick wasn’t listening. Too busy living in the vision of Batman flying in, heroic as always. Ignoring the pain. Ignoring how he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Ignoring the slowing heartbeat in his ears.

Bruce was coming. Bruce promised to keep him safe. Dick believed that promise. With all his heart.

His heart that wasn’t working real well anymore.

He sputtered. Blood flicked across his vision, he could feel in on his cheeks as he rolled to his side.

Bruce was coming. Bruce was coming, and he better hurry _because everything hurt so bad_.

Then the beeping started.

The beeping that Bruce forced him to learn the meaning of. The beeping that was rhythmic. One beep per second.

Dick closed his eyes, repeating the mantra. Bruce was coming, Bruce was coming. Bruce. Was. _Coming_.

The beeping got higher. Faster. Two beats per second.

It was in the last second that he realized, but to Dick it lasted hours. He relaxed, accepted it. At least he’d see his parents again. At least…

At least he could die knowing it wouldn’t be in vain. Bruce would use this, like Dick had used his parents’ death, and Bruce did before him. His death would mean something.

The numbers hit zero. The beep held. Dick smiled one more time, through the tears streaming down his face.

His death would protect so many other children.

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Red Hood!Dick stories.](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/tagged/Redhood%21Dick+au)   
> 


End file.
